Kolkata: Skipper Virat Kohli on Wednesday left it to the fans to decide if there has been an overkill of India-Sri Lanka contests in recent years, something that had led to dwindling interest in a cricket crazy nation.

India played an away Test series against islanders in 2015 followed by a short limited overs series at home in 2016 and in the current year are playing them full series across formats on home and away basis.

By the end of the Sri Lanka’s tour of India, the teams would end up playing 18 games against each other in space of 5 months.

Not to forget, India will again travel to Sri Lanka in 2018 to play the Independence Cup T20 tournament. When Kohli was asked whether India vs Sri Lanka battle is losing its sheen, he gave a subtle reply.

"It definitely has to be taken into consideration because you don't want fans going away from the game from watching the game. We have to maintain a balance of how to engage fans and keep players fresh at the same time and keep cricket exciting and keep it competitive through out the year. That point will be discussed in future definitely," Kohli dropped enough hints as to what he felt on the issue during the pre-match conference.

The Indian captain feels that fans are one of the biggest stakeholders in the game and they need to be taken into confidence.

"This needs analysis. It has to be done over a period of time by asking the fans who watch the game. For someone watching the game, it is very different than someone involved playing in the game.

"For us, there's no room for saying that "I don't want to play this game, or you cannot say I don't feel like batting while standing on the crease". There is no room for that because you will get out and the team will lose. we are at our absolute top intensity all the time."

Kohli made it clear that as cricketers they can only play an opposition that faces them but fans do have a choice to watch what they want to.

"It will be better answered by the fans who watch the game if there's too much cricket being played or repetition of same series for us it's about playing cricket for the country and we will do what we are presented with every time a new series comes up."

The immediate assignment may be against Sri Lanka but Kohli has already set his sights on the "difficult" tour of South Africa, where he is looking forward to embracing the "uncomfortable".

"If you can embrace playing in difficult conditions that will be the difference. We want to be uncomfortable, we want to embrace being uncomfortable and that's the most important thing."

"We want to build our games in such a way that we want to look forward to playing anywhere in the world. We just want to play good cricket, that's about it. We don't want to wait for conditions to suit our games," the skipper said with an obvious reference to the South African tour in January.

Indian team has been on a roll for sometime now with most of the Test matches happening at home.

"Right now, we have gone through a good phase where a lot of cricket has been played at home. We certainly believe a lot in ourselves as a team."

However the captain rightly pointed out that a good team needs to win everywhere in the world to be considered as a top notch outfit. The South Africa series starts January 5, with the first Test at Cape Town.

bolero wrote:Kolkata: Skipper Virat Kohli on Wednesday left it to the fans to decide if there has been an overkill of India-Sri Lanka contests in recent years, something that had led to dwindling interest in a cricket crazy nation.

India played an away Test series against islanders in 2015 followed by a short limited overs series at home in 2016 and in the current year are playing them full series across formats on home and away basis.

By the end of the Sri Lanka’s tour of India, the teams would end up playing 18 games against each other in space of 5 months.

Not to forget, India will again travel to Sri Lanka in 2018 to play the Independence Cup T20 tournament. When Kohli was asked whether India vs Sri Lanka battle is losing its sheen, he gave a subtle reply.

"It definitely has to be taken into consideration because you don't want fans going away from the game from watching the game. We have to maintain a balance of how to engage fans and keep players fresh at the same time and keep cricket exciting and keep it competitive through out the year. That point will be discussed in future definitely," Kohli dropped enough hints as to what he felt on the issue during the pre-match conference.

The Indian captain feels that fans are one of the biggest stakeholders in the game and they need to be taken into confidence.

"This needs analysis. It has to be done over a period of time by asking the fans who watch the game. For someone watching the game, it is very different than someone involved playing in the game.

"For us, there's no room for saying that "I don't want to play this game, or you cannot say I don't feel like batting while standing on the crease". There is no room for that because you will get out and the team will lose. we are at our absolute top intensity all the time."

Kohli made it clear that as cricketers they can only play an opposition that faces them but fans do have a choice to watch what they want to.

"It will be better answered by the fans who watch the game if there's too much cricket being played or repetition of same series for us it's about playing cricket for the country and we will do what we are presented with every time a new series comes up."

The immediate assignment may be against Sri Lanka but Kohli has already set his sights on the "difficult" tour of South Africa, where he is looking forward to embracing the "uncomfortable".

"If you can embrace playing in difficult conditions that will be the difference. We want to be uncomfortable, we want to embrace being uncomfortable and that's the most important thing."

"We want to build our games in such a way that we want to look forward to playing anywhere in the world. We just want to play good cricket, that's about it. We don't want to wait for conditions to suit our games," the skipper said with an obvious reference to the South African tour in January.

Indian team has been on a roll for sometime now with most of the Test matches happening at home.

"Right now, we have gone through a good phase where a lot of cricket has been played at home. We certainly believe a lot in ourselves as a team."

However the captain rightly pointed out that a good team needs to win everywhere in the world to be considered as a top notch outfit. The South Africa series starts January 5, with the first Test at Cape Town.

bolero wrote:Dont think the Indian fans are too interested in seeing another India - SL series.

There has been an overkill.

I feel India are playing far too much cricket. The players will be tired before SA series.

The players wishes have not been taken into consideration. For BCCI, commercial considerations only matter.

Tired is no real excuse before South Africa. India is historically expected to lose there whether fresh or tired. To me it seems that Kohli has been on damage control expecting to lose there since before the 4th test was scrapped.

Its not like India plays much more than England or Australia, nor travelled away overseas as much. I know they toured WI, SL and a CT in England since SA series in 2015 in India - but theres not many stamps in their passports.

Still, Kohli is far from NZ's own B McCullum who claimed he retired to spend more time with his family - and his since played in every overseas t20 league possible it seems.

Last edited by Paddles on Thu Nov 16, 2017 11:31 am, edited 1 time in total.

Law 31.6 - benefit of the doubt for an dismissal appeal goes to the batsmanA third umpire call for a run out or stumping is a referral, not a review.

Paddles, I dont think that is the case. Indian team has no say in the matter regarding itinerary or player availability.

BCCI orders and these players are puppets. I am quite sure after Champions trophy, neither England nor Australia have played as much. Even there India reached final, so there is not much time for rest / recuperation.

bolero wrote:Paddles, I dont think that is the case. Indian team has no say in the matter regarding itinerary or player availability.

BCCI orders and these players are puppets. I am quite sure after Champions trophy, neither England nor Australia have played as much. Even there India reached final, so there is not much time for rest / recuperation.

If players are carrying injuries, they have had it.

You do realise since the CT, England played Safrica, WI and is now touring Australia for an Ashes and then NZ?! Straya will chalk up 15 tests after 5 Ashes test and 4 away tests to Safrica after 4 away to India and 2 to Bangladesh?!

Last edited by Paddles on Thu Nov 16, 2017 11:37 am, edited 1 time in total.

Law 31.6 - benefit of the doubt for an dismissal appeal goes to the batsmanA third umpire call for a run out or stumping is a referral, not a review.

bolero wrote:Paddles, I dont think that is the case. Indian team has no say in the matter regarding itinerary or player availability.

BCCI orders and these players are puppets. I am quite sure after Champions trophy, neither England nor Australia have played as much. Even there India reached final, so there is not much time for rest / recuperation.

If players are carrying injuries, they have had it.

You do realise since the CT, England played Safrica, WI and is now touring Australia for an Ashes and then NZ?!

India toured West Indies and Sri Lanka, home series against Australia and New Zealand and now another home series against Lanka.

Then immediately touring South Africa. I dont think this Sri Lankan tour should have been scheduled. Its a blunder. We may see the injuries cropping up in SA when India really needs its fittest team.

Paddles wrote:You do realise since the CT, England played Safrica, WI and is now touring Australia for an Ashes and then NZ?!

India toured West Indies and Sri Lanka, home series against Australia and New Zealand and now another home series against Lanka.

Then immediately touring South Africa. I dont think this Sri Lankan tour should have been scheduled. Its a blunder. We may see the injuries cropping up in SA when India really needs its fittest team.

Yeah - thats far less cricket, test cricket at that, and away cricket, than Aus and England. Straya are doing 4 tests away India and Safrica each and 2 to Bangladesh for the 12 month period ending March 2018.

India has had it easier than England (since India tour) n Straya of late.

Law 31.6 - benefit of the doubt for an dismissal appeal goes to the batsmanA third umpire call for a run out or stumping is a referral, not a review.

The ball begins to do a bit - and BCCI batsmen are exposed!Tomorrow is however another day - and I expect BCCI to get right back into their minnow-bashing form.But for now, feels good to be a Sri Lankan supporter. :-)

This reminds me eerily of the Durban test in 1996 when India were bowled out for 66 by South Africa, and Dravid was standing not out at the very end with 27. He couldnt do much as wickets fell at the other end.

Donald led the SA attack, Pollock, Klusener, McMillan etc were part of the attack. Donald was lethal and produced his best deliveries to dismiss Tendulkar that series.

I remember Azharuddin was a walking wicket the entire 90's when India toured abroad. He couldnt play bounce or movement. Mostly snicking to the keeper. He was busy fixing matches as captain of the side.

Paddles wrote:Scene is set for a classic Jadeja counter attacking 100.

May your words come true. India is short of lefty batsmen anyways. I may think of replacing Saha with lefty Parthiv Patel but Saha has does nothing to merit a sack except that he is a right handed batsman.

Envy the NZ team who have so many left handed batsmen and good batsmen at that. Latham, Munro. Even Santner whacked the Indian bowling.

Gambhir is a leftie but a bit dour. Santner is dour and quite limited. He's learning to bat time and accumulates very slowly. In odi he has a drop kick and a slog sweep but often gets caught on these, his most expansive shots.

Raval for NZ is dour but is also a leftie but quite effective. I support his suceess. I can happily watch him leave the ball.

NZ's best leftie to watch is arguably Jesse Ryder - but he has wrecked his intl career. Munro will never drive like Jesse even if they pull the same.

I really like watching Jadeja bat. One of my favourite cricketers. So is Yuvraj in white ball - who is also a leftie.

Law 31.6 - benefit of the doubt for an dismissal appeal goes to the batsmanA third umpire call for a run out or stumping is a referral, not a review.

Was watching the highlights. Dhawan and Rahane played really casual loose shots. Both Lakmal and Shanaka are medium pace about 125 kmph. Exaggerated swing movement but one should learn from Dravid Bangar and Pujara how to leave the ball.